<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Roller Coaster Ride by mariuspondmercy</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23269168">Roller Coaster Ride</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariuspondmercy/pseuds/mariuspondmercy'>mariuspondmercy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, M/M, Meet-Cute</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:40:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23269168</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariuspondmercy/pseuds/mariuspondmercy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Going to the amusement park with his brothers was all fine and dandy but most rides only offer seats for two at a time. So, Ronan reasoned, he unfortunately had to pair up with the pretty stranger in front of him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>115</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Roller Coaster Ride</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The tumblr prompt ran away from me, so it's on here as well.<br/>Based on: "Getting paired up on an amusement park that requires even numbered riders."</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ronan loved his brother, he did. Matthew was the apple of his eye, the light of his life - if Ronan dared to be awfully cheesy. So, unquestionably and with only little complaining, he had agreed to a family outing to the amusement park. At least Matthew was into the thrills of an adrenaline high caused by loops and plunges rather than needles and bottles of alcohol. Really, Ronan couldn’t complain, shouldn’t complain. Besides, Ronan and Declan actively worked on getting along with each other a little better - they were both burnt men, emotionally constipated but full of love for their brother. Spending time with Declan now equaled getting your teeth pulled with only a mild anaesthetic to dull the pain. A year ago, there would’ve been no anaesthetic involved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be honest, standing in line to get onto the damn wooden roller coaster reminded Ronan a lot of any and every post-church dinner with Declan and one of his Ashleys. Or was it the same Ashley? Look, the women all looked the same to Ronan - because he paid no attention to them and because he was as gay as the day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rocking on the back of his feet, Ronan clasped his hands behind his back and looked around, letting Matthew’s chatter wash over him patiently. His eyes locked onto a young man a few feet in front of their little group. Sandy-haired, soft freckles, tanned skin, dungarees and a white shirt - he stood out like a sore thumb next to the colourfully dressed woman and the pristine man. The woman talked animatedly, the man smiled amicably, and Ronan’s newly found altar of worship had haloed hair in the afternoon’s sun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The queue moved slowly, Ronan’s mind worked quickly. He sent a short prayer up to God, hoping against hope that - by some divine intervention - Providence would grant him at least eye contact, maybe a short talk. Ronan followed Matthew and Declan down the line, up to the very front. Going to an amusement park with three people was always a bad idea, one of them always ended up having to ride by himself. Maybe. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ronan narrowed his eyes and observed the three people in front of them. Would his saint pair up with the woman? Was she his girlfriend? Would he pair up with the other man? Was he his boyfriend? There was intimacy between all three of them, shared history and an aura Ronan couldn’t grasp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When it was their turn to split into groups and queue for the position on the ride, the woman took the other man’s hand and dragged him to the very front. Ronan’s fountain of future wet dreams stood by himself in the row next to them, second row on the ride. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Matthew,” Ronan rudely interrupted his brother, “Do you wanna pair up with Declan for this ride?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” Matthew beamed, nodding excitedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bless his soul - or lack thereof? Ronan wasn’t quite sure on that front. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ronan and his brothers were still a few rows behind the couple and Ronan’s sunlit saviour, but he still heard the usher say: “Are you by yourself?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Jesus reborn said with a shrug of his shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gotta get paired up,” the usher said. “Anyone else here single?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m by myself,” Ronan said, hand shooting up into the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come up then, young man,” the usher said with the voice of someone who was so clearly fed up with this job. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ronan pushed through the few people separating him from his soulmate - if Ronan were to believe in such things. He strapped himself into the seat next to the hot hunk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess we’re just gonna enjoy each other for this ride,” Ronan said to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wow. Okay. His brain must’ve malfunctioned because what the heck was that, Ronan? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The guy only hummed and leaned back into his seat as they went up the roller coaster. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Great, Ronan really couldn’t have said anything smarter, anything more sophisticated, more mysterious? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they reached the zenith of the chain lift, Ronan’s nerves began to flutter a little. Now, this had nothing to do with the rapid decline in the wooden roller coaster and all with the charming stranger grasping his thigh at the shock of the rush. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck,” wonderboy swore under his breath. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And this one doesn’t even have any loops,” Ronan yelled over the rattling of the train.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Loops are much better than this bumpy shit,” he yelled back. “Horrible!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ronan laughed, loud and unabashed. “Wooden coasters are something else for sure.” He gently nudged his coaster-mates hand off his thigh and offered his own hand, palm up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grabbed Ronan’s hand, squeezed it and smiled thankfully. Up to the end of the ride, they hold hands, setting Ronan’s heart aflame. Maybe, Ronan reasoned to himself, maybe the man was just unpleasant all around and his infatuation at first sight would vanish after the ride. Unfortunately for Ronan, heartstopper had a gorgeous smile aimed right at Ronan at the end of the ride. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enjoyed it after all?” Ronan asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t too bad in the end,” he said, giving Ronan’s hand one last squeeze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Ronan knew what was going on, the colourfully dressed woman tackled Ronan’s new crush - Adam, apparently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This was such fun! Gansey is looking a little worse for wear though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gansey?” Ronan asked. Huh. It had been a while since he’d heard or thought about Richard Campbell Gansey III. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And, indeed, there was Dick, a little green around the nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dick Gansey,” Ronan breathed. “I haven’t seen you in, what, six years now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lynch?” Gansey laughed. “Oh my God, it’s been so long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ronan hummed. Yes, he remembered. He had become friends with Gansey the fall before his life fell to pieces - when it happened that June and Ronan quit school, he lost any and every contact he and Dick had ever had. After all, they’d only been friends for a few months at that time and Ronan grieved his father, his mother, his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gosh, that means you just missed this guy getting into school,” Gansey grinned, pointing at Adam. “One of my best friends and the best guy you could ever meet. Hey, are you here with anyone? Do you wanna be around this park with us together?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here with my brothers,” Ronan said and turned towards the photo section, searching out himself and Adam - how ironic, him being named after the first of men, the most godlike of them all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, we will wait for them then. How old is Matthew now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s his 21st birthday today, hence the amusement park.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gansey chattered on, but all Ronan could concentrate on was Adam right next to him, looking at the photos. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gansey can be a bit overbearing,” Adam apologised, all while staring at the screen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glad to hear it hasn’t changed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam turned towards him, brows furrowed. “We can leave, we don’t have to stay with you and your brothers, really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly,” Ronan said, “I think adding you to the mix could really make my day a whole lot better.” He winked at Adam before turning to the cashier and buying the photo of the two of them, laughing on the roller coaster. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bold move, Ronan knew, but maybe it would pay off. It already did, if only for the smile and blush Adam was sporting.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>